Fusible cut-out



(No Model.)

P. SOHWEDTMANN. FUSIBLB OUT-OUT.

Patented Mar. 29,1898.

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FERDINAND SOHVEDTMANN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FUSIBLE cur-our.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 601 ,286, dated March 29, 1898. Application filed May 6, 1897. erial No. 635,302. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FERDINAND Sonwnnr- MANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Fusible Out-Out, of which the following is such afull, clear, and exact description as will enable any one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

One of the principal objections to fusible cut-outs made of porcelain, glass, &c., is that they are liable to be cracked and broken by the burning out of the fuse. One object of my invention is to overcome this objection.

My invention consists in a fusible cut-out of porcelain, glass, &c., having the fuse surrounded by some material which will not be injured by the burning out of the fuse, and in other novel features and details of construction, all of which are described in the following specification and pointed out in the claims aflixed hereto.

In the accompanying drawings,which illustrate a cutout made in accordance with my invention, Figures 1 and 2 are a side and end View, respectively, on a reduced scale. Fig. 3 is an end view of the top and parts carried thereby. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section of the part shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the base, and Fig. 7 is an isometric projection of a detail.

Like marks of reference refer to similar parts in the several views of the drawings.

10 is the body of the cut-out,which is formed of porcelain, glass, or some like material. In each end of the bottom of the body 10 is an opening into which project the upturned ends of two spring-contacts 12, each of which is formed of two L-shaped pieces 13 and 13, Fig. 7, of brass or other suitable material. The upturned ends of the pieces 13 and 13 have formed in them slots 14, and are a sufficient distance apart to receive between them another contact-piece, hereinafter to be described. The contacts 12 are held in place by screws 15, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4,) which enter threaded holes 16 in the said contacts. In each of the contacts 12 is a threaded hole 17 for the reception of a screw cylindrical form.

18, by means of which a leading-in wire 10 is secured to the said contact.

20 is the top, which is provided with a suitable handle 21. Near each end of the top 20 is adownward projection 22, preferably formed integral with the said top 20. Extending between the downward projections 22 and preferably formed integral with them and the top 20 is a web 23. In the center of the web 23 is an enlarged portion 24 of a substantially In the enlarged portion 24 and the downward projections 22 is formed a cylindrical opening in which is placed a tube 26, of micanite or other suitable material, to protect the porcelain when the fuse burns out. To each of the downward projections 22 is secured by means of bolts 27 and nuts 28 a contact-piece 29 of brass or other suitable material. The contact-pieces 29 extend below the projections 22 and are adapted to be forced between the plates of the contacts 12 hereinbefore described. In each of the contacts 29 is formed a depression 30, in which is a hole 31 opposite the end of the tube 26 and of the same or about the same diameter as the interior of said tube, and a threaded hole which receives a screw 32, by means of which one end of a fuse 33 is held in position. Around the lower face of the top 20 is a strip of rubber 34 or other yielding material which comes in contact with the upper edge of the body 10, and thus forms a tight joint.

36 is a base-plate, preferably formed of porcelain. Around the edge of the plate 36 is a flange 37, the centers of the sides of which are connected by a rib 33. Around the edges of the bottom of the body 10 is formed a depression to receive the'l'lange 37 and across the center of the bottom a similar depression to receive the rib 38. Near each end of the baseplate 36 is a rectangular depression 39 for the reception of the contacts 12. Vithin the depressions 39 are circular depressions 40 for the reception of the heads of the screws 18. Passing through the plate 36 are holes 41, through which the leading-in wires 19 pass. The depression 40 and holes 41 are connected by semicylindrical depression 42, along which the wires 19 pass.

The flange 37 and rib 3S completely surround the terminals of the line-wire 19 and thus prevent the possibility of arcing across from one terminal to another. The baseplate 36 is preferably cemented in place after the parts have been arranged in position. lVhen the top is placed in position, the contacts 29 are forced between the plates of the contacts 12, thus bringing the fuse 33 into the circuit. WVhen the top 20 is pressed firmly in place, the rubber washer 34 seals the cutout, making the whole practically air-tight and thus preventing any possibility of arein g to the metal surrounding the cut-out. If the fuse 33 is burned out, the top is removed, the screws 32 loosened, and a new fuse inserted. The tube 26 protects the porcelain when the fuse is burning out and does not itself sustain any injury. lVhile I prefer to make the tube 26 of micanite, it may be made of any material which will withstand the heat of the are formed when the fuse is burning out.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a fusible cut-out, a suitable box or casing of insulating material, line-wire terminals carried thereby, a removable f use-carrying member in said box or casing, fuse-terminals carried by said fuse-carrying member and adapted to be put into electrical communication with said line-wire terminals, and a removable protecting-cover for said line-wire terminals at the side of the casing opposite said fuse-carryin g member.

2. In a fusible cut-out, a box or casing of insulating material open at one side, a fusecarrying member adapted to be inserted in the open side of said casing and to close the same,a fuse-passage extending longitudinally through said fuse-carrying member, fuse-terminals carried by said. fuse-carrying member at the ends of said fuse-passage, and linewire terminals projecting through a closed side of said casing and adapted to make contact with said fuse-terminals.

3. In a fusible cutout, a box or casing of insulating material open at one side, a fusecarrying member adapted to be inserted in the open side of said casing and to close the same, line-wire terminals carried by said casing and projecting through a closed side of the same, fuse-terminals carried by said fusecarrying member and adapted to make 0011- tact with said line-wire terminals, and a removable cover for the side of said casing through which said line-wire terminals project, said cover having recesses for the reception of said line-wire terminals and openings for the passage of line-wires.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

FERDINAND SClllVllD'lilIANN.

W'itnesscs:

J. CLARENCE TAUSSIG, W. A. ALEXANDER. 

